Training Log Archive: Sandy

Up at Hickory Run. Knee was really giving me problems so I cut it short today - maybe 4 hours on my feet. Visited some places I went to in September and it's much easier to see what's going on now then it was then. Part of the problem then was the bugs - I couldn't stand still for more than a few seconds without getting attacked. It's really nice right now - no bugs but still plenty warm.

C • sounds promising... 1

So went out to do my short hill loop and was greeted with a major surprise. They have been planning a reclamation project restoring the meadows to their native condition at the part of the Wissahickon park that is closest to my house. I haven't run that loop in several weeks and I am totally stunned by the amount of work that has been done since the last time I ran those trails. They have several large machines in there and they have been logging everything that is not native and there are huge swathes of what is now essentially mud and stacked trees. There are several football fields worth of cleared land. It is quite astonishing what has been done. Several of the trails are now obliterated and others are of the "you can't get there from here" type. I suspect that in a few months or so, it will be a huge improvement over the nasty vegetation that had been growing unchecked but right now it looks awful. And at the same time it's sort of nice because it is all so open and lots of nasty vegetation is gone and you can see lots of nice woods. Anyway, my run was more of an exploratory hike, just checking out what was what, and running some of the uphill and flat trail sections on the part of the loop that is further down the hill and not up in the meadows. There are now some wide open expanses of hillside that are really nice for off trail running that are much more accessible and assuming they put back some sort of trail network it will be fine. But rather a shock.

And since my running was abysmal and my leg was cramping in a really funny spot, I did do some running but also a lot of walking.

C • hmm... 3

Yoga class. Guest instructor. Did more balance stuff and less strength stuff.

TNT - hiked down to the drive, ran a half, walked a half, ran a half, walked a half, hiked back up with Sandy. Need to start somewhere.

Fabulous lasagna by Jim afterwards.